Open Letter from Middlesex FA to all stakeholders

[RustyRef]

There has to be change and it has to start now, otherwise this current referee shortage will become permanent. And it needs to come from the top.

Let's use a few examples. The London FA referee that was chased across the pitch with multiple people chasing him, all caught clearly on video, sanctions were a ban for one person chasing him, whereas multiple people were aiming kicks. Satyam Tokyi who was punched twice, fully on camera, for doing his job. The player guilty was banned for 10 years, the FA on appeal dropped that to five years. What was the possible justification, when there is a video clearly showing the player violently punching the referee in the face twice?

I've been against it in the past, but I now think a national referee strike is needed, one weekend where not a single referee does a game. Let the leagues, clubs and players see what happens when you don't actually have a referee.

 

[lincs22]

I've been against it in the past, but I now think a national referee strike is needed, one weekend where not a single referee does a game. Let the leagues, clubs and players see what happens when you don't actually have a referee.

Unfortunately @RustyRef , this is what is happening in grassroots football. There aren't the referees at steps 10 & 11, so the strike wouldn't have any effect on them. For the strike to be effective, we would need to affect games in the pryamid (steps 5 & 6) to get the publicity.

 

[es1]

Unfortunately @RustyRef , this is what is happening in grassroots football. There aren't the referees at steps 10 & 11, so the strike wouldn't have any effect on them. For the strike to be effective, we would need to affect games in the pryamid (steps 5 & 6) to get the publicity.

i'll participate...might partially excuse my awful availability with one available weekend until mid-december!

 

[GraemeS]

There has to be change and it has to start now, otherwise this current referee shortage will become permanent. And it needs to come from the top.

Let's use a few examples. The London FA referee that was chased across the pitch with multiple people chasing him, all caught clearly on video, sanctions were a ban for one person chasing him, whereas multiple people were aiming kicks. Satyam Tokyi who was punched twice, fully on camera, for doing his job. The player guilty was banned for 10 years, the FA on appeal dropped that to five years. What was the possible justification, when there is a video clearly showing the player violently punching the referee in the face twice?

I've been against it in the past, but I now think a national referee strike is needed, one weekend where not a single referee does a game. Let the leagues, clubs and players see what happens when you don't actually have a referee.

I mean, this is literally what @socal lurker was trying to say. Those are prime examples of the FA failing to support the referees when an incident comes up - and a shift in knowing what the outcome of these incidents would be is what you're asking for.